One-way coin conduit



Aug. 26, 1969 A. s. RIFKIN 3,463,288

ONE-WAY COIN CONDU IT Filed Dec. 20, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,463,288 ONE-WAY COIN CONDUIT Arnold S. Rifkin, A. Rifkin & Co., 39 E. Northampton St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18701 Filed Dec. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 692,207 Int. Cl. G07f 3/00; 365g 11/16 U.S. Cl. 194--97 8 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention As is well known to those versed in the art, the problem of coin handling to permit coin movement through a passageway in only one direction has long presented substantial obstacles to effective solution. Prior one-way coin-handling devices have been lacking in tamper resistance, or relatively complex resulting in high cost and frequent malfunction.

Summary Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a one-way coin conduitpwhich is extremely simple in construction, economical' to produce, requiring a minimum of trouble-free components, so as to be reliable in operation throughout a long useful life.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a one-way coin conduit having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, wherein one or more flexible elongate elements are arranged to depend along a path of gravitational coin movement without obstruction under normal operating conditions, while the elongate element serves upon tampering to effectively obstruct and prevent coin removal.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims,

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE l is a partial top perspective view showing a coin receptacle incorporating therein a conduit of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view showing the conduit of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional elevational viewl taken generally along the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 4 4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 5 5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional View taken generally along the line 6 6 of FIGURE 4, but with the device inverted.

FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the interior construction of the components of the instant device.

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIGURE 4, but illustrating the device in an inverted condition.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view showing a slightly modified embodiment of conduit of the present invention, partially broken away to illustrate the interior construction.

FIGURE l0 is a horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 10-10 of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE l1 is a top plan view showing a further ernbodiment of conduit in accordance with the instant invention.

FIGURE 12 is an elevational view of the device of FIGURE l1.

FIGURE 13 is a sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 13 13 of FIGURE 12.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURES 1-8 thereof a one-way, coin conduit is there generally designated 20, and is shown in FIGURE l as incorporated in a coin receptacle or bag 21. While the coin conduit 20 is illustrated in association with a portable coin container 21, it is appreciated that the conduit 20 may be mounted in fixed apparatus, if desired.

The coin conduit 20 may include a generally elongate, normally upright housing 22, which may be fabricated of a pair of complementary facing housing sections 23 and 24. The housing sections 23 and 24 may be fixedly secured together by any suitable fastener means not shown.

The housing 22 is interiorly hollow, being formed therethrough with an upwardly and downwardly extending thru passageway 25 having an upper open end region 26 for receiving coins, and an open lower coin-discharging opening 27.

More specifically, the thru coin passageway 2S is of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration for freely passing coins of the desired size or sizes, and is formed on its opposite internal faces 30 and 31 with generally vertically or upwardly and downwardly extending internal grooves 32 and 33, respectively. As in the illustrated embodiment, the grooves 32 and 33 of respective housing sections 23 and 24 may be disposed in respective opposite facing relation. The region intermediate each adjacent pair of grooves 32 may define an internal land or rib, as at 34; and similarly, the housing regions intermediate each adjacent pair of grooves 33 may define an internal generally vertically extending rib or land 3S. Further, as best seen in FIGURE 4, the internal grooves 32 of housing part 23 each terminates at its upper end in a downwardly facing end wall 36; and the grooves 33 of the housing part 24 similarly terminate at their respective upper ends in a downwardly facing end wall 37. However, the lower ends of the grooves 32 and 33 open downwardly through the lower ends of the respective housing parts. Also evident in FIGURE 4 is the transverse enlargement or funnel shape of the open upper coin-receiving end 26 of passageway 25.

If desired, one of the housing parts, say part 23 may be provided along its longitudinal edges with side walls or ribs 38 extending toward the other housing part 24 and defining longitudinal members closing respective sides of the passageway 25. Also, the upper end regions of respective housing parts 23 and 24 may be provided with external flanges 40 and 41, as for mounting in a receptacle, or the like.

Located in the internal passageway grooves 32 and 33, or at least in certain of such grooves, may be one or more flexible elongate pendent elements. For purposes of illustration, there are shown a plurality of pendent elements 42 in certain of the grooves 32, and an additionl plurality of pendent elements 43 in certain of the grooves 33. In particular, the pendent elements 42 and 43 may assume the formation of conventional bead chains, or may be constituted of other suitable flexible elongate structures. The pendent elements 42 are suspended in respective grooves 32, each being secured therein at its upper end adjacent to the groove end wall 37; while the elements 43 are similarly suspended in their respective grooves 33, being secured at their upper ends adjacent to the groove end walls 36. Advantageously, the pendent elements or chains 42 and 43 depend freely in their respective grooves 32 and 33, and depend through the lower opening ends of their respective grooves beyond the lower end of the housing 22. The pendent elements 42 and 43 may be suspended only at their upper ends, their remainders being unsecured, and restrained against lateral movement only by their receiving grooves. Thus, the pendent elements 42 and 43 are free to move out of their respective grooves into the passageway 25, and further the lower end extensions of the pendent elements are freely gravitationally movable in substantially all directions.

The housing 22 may be provided with baffle means 45, which may include a plurality of downward extensions 46 from the lower end of housing part 23, and a plurality of transverse projections 47 on the respective extensions. The projections 47 are thereby spaced below the lower open end of housing passageway 25, and project transversely across an extension of the passageway. The extensions 46 may be extensions of ribs 34, if desired, with the pendent elements 42 freely suspended between the extensions 46.

In normal conditions of operation, with the housing 22 generally upright, the pendent elements 42 and 43 remain in their respective grooves 32 and 33, depending generally vertically therebelow, so that passageway 25 is open throughout its entire length. Thus, as seen in FIGURE 4, a coin may be received in the upper coin-receiving end 26 of passageway 25, dropping gravitationally therethrough and exiting through the lower open passageway end 27. The coin is free to move along the baffle projections 47, displacing the pendent elements 43, or laterally between the pendent elements for discharge into a receptacle. However, upon movement of the housing 22 out of its normally upright condition, say inversion thereof to attempt gravitational removal of coins from the receptacle 21 through conduit 20, the freely flexible pendent elements 42 and 43 are free to gather or crimp and fall from their respective grooves 32 and 33 into the passageway 25, thereby obstructing tampering and pilferage. Such condition is shown in FIGURE 6. Also, the lower end extensions of the pendent elements 42 and 43 fall gravitationally across the lower end of the passageway 25, as in FIGURE 8, to block coin removal. Further, the baille means 45 serves to effectively prevent insertion through the passageway 25 of a tool intended to retrieve coins or maintain the passageway open for coin removal through the passageway.

In FIGURES 9 and l0 are shown a slightly modified embodiment of coin conduit generally designated 20a, wherein a generally vertically disposed housing 22a includes a normally upwardly and downwardly extending thru passageway 25a having an open upper end 26a for receiving coins. The passageway 25a is interiorly similar to the passageway 25, including the formation of a plurality of generally upwardly and downwardly extending internal grooves 32 and 33 on opposite sides of the passageway. Intermediate each adjacent pair of grooves 32 there is a generally vertically extending internal rib or land 34, and similarly, the space between each adjacent pair of grooves 33 defines a generally vertically extending internal rib or land 35. One or more flexible elongate pendent elements 42 is freely suspended in respective grooves 32; and similarly, one or more exible elongate pendent elements 43 is freely suspended in respective grooves 33.

As thus far described, the housing 22a is essentially similar to the housing 22. However, the housing 22a is provided at its lower end with baille means 45a which may assume the form of a pair of downwardly oblique divergent tubular extensions 46a. The tubular extensions 46a each include a lower wall 47a which is spaced below and projects transversely across the downward extension of passageway 25a. Thus, the baille means 45a serves to prevent the insertion through housing 22a of a coinremoval implement or sleeve, and effectively deter tampermg.

Considering now the embodiment shown in FIGURES 11-13, a housing 22b is essentially similar to the housing 22 of the embodiment of FIGURES 18. That is, the housing 22h includes a generally upwardly and downwardly extending thru passageway 25b having suspended internally thereof one or more flexible elongate pendent elements or chains, as at 42 and 43. The chains 42 and 43 may depend through and beyond the open lower end of the housing 22h.

Carried below the housing 2211 may be baflle means 45b, which may assume the form of a generally U-shaped elongate member including a pair of laterally spaced extension portions 46b each depending from a respective side of the housing 22b, and a medial or bight portion 47b projecting transversely between the lower ends of the extension portions 46b across an extension of the passageway 25b. Thus, it will be apparent that the baflle means 45b may also serve to effectively prevent tampering.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a one-way coin conduit of the type described which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture, distribution and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A one-way coin conduit comprising a housing, said housing being formed with an upwardly and downwardly extending thru passageway having a receiving end opening upwardly for receiving a coin and a discharge end opening downwardly for gravitationally discharging a received coin, and at least one freely flexible substantially non-resilient elongate pendent element suspended in said housing and depending therein along the path of gravitational movement of a coin in said passageway, said passageway being of sufllcient cross section to gravitationally pass a coin in one direction relative to said housing when said pendent element is in its freely depending condition, inversion of said housing effecting gravitational movement of said pendent element to obstruct said passageway and prevent coin movement in the other direction relative to said housing.

2. A one-way coin conduit according to claim 1, said passageway being generally straight, and baflle means depending from said housing and comprising a depending baffle part extending downwardly from said housing on one side of said passageway, and a transverse batlle part extending from said depending baille part transversely of the gravitational path of coin movement from said passageway, to deflect coin movement laterally of said passageway and prevent tampering by insertion of a tool in said housing.

3. A one-way coin conduit according to claim 1, said pendent element being suspended interiorly of said passageway.

4. A one-way coin conduit according to claim 3, said pendent element depending through and out of the discharge end of said passageway.

5. A one-way coin conduit according to claim 3, in combination with internal lands in said passageway on opposite sides of said pendent element restraining the 8. A one-way coin conduit according to claim 7, said latter against lateral movement. one and additional pendent elements depending through 6. A one-way coin conduit according to claim 1, said and out of the discharge end of said passagaway. pendent element comprising a chain.

7. A- one-way coin conduit according to claim 1, in References Cited Combination with a plurality 0f additional eXible 61011- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS gate pendent elements suspended in said housing and 1,830,529 11/1931 Croy 194--97 freely depending therein along the path of gravltatronal 2,073,261 3/1937 Gottfried 194 97 movement of a coin in said passageway, and a plurality of upwardly and downwardly extending ribs in said housing, said ribs dening therebetween grooves respectively l0 STANLEY H' TOLLBERG Primary Exammer receiving said one and additional pendent elements to re- U.S. Cl. X.R.

strain the same against lateral movement. 232-62 

